Publication of Study Supports Corrugated Industry’s Commitment to Science

The publication of third-party, peer-reviewed research in a recent edition of the Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B supports the corrugated industry’s commitment to science and facts when communicating about packaging materials. 

The research conducted last year by Dr. Steven Ricke and his team at the University of Arkansas’s Department of Food Science demonstrated the challenges associated with cleaning multi-use returnable plastic containers (RPCs). Dr. Ricke’s study showed that even when cleaning and sanitizing agents were used, biofilms that protect bacteria such as salmonella, listeria and e.coli on the containers’ surface were difficult to remove.

“We’re pleased to see the University of Arkansas’s research published in a scientific journal.  It reinforces our industry’s commitment to use science in seeking facts about the performance of packaging materials,” said Dennis Colley, President and CEO of the Fibre Box Association (FBA). 

By contrast, a separate research study showed the process of combining linerboard and medium to make corrugated packaging is sufficient to destroy common food pathogens, effectively meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) requirements for chemical sanitizers. 

The research article about Dr. Ricke’s study can be found here.